The Dallas area may have first made its name with cattle and cotton, but thosedays are long gone.

The North Texas metropolitan area, which in addition to Dallas also boastsFort Worth, Arlington and Plano, is home to a large number of informationtechnology services companies such as EDS Corp., Perot Systems Inc. andAffiliated Computer Services Inc., all with large government businesses.Others, such as Lockheed Martin Corp., are in the region to support militaryprojects, said Wes Jurey, president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

"There are some things you might not know about North Texas," Jurey said.It is the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the United States afterNew York, Los Angeles and Chicago, with 6 million residents. The population isexpected to grow to 9 million by 2025 or sooner, he said. According to theBureau of Economic Analysis, the area had 43,655 civilian and militaryemployees in 2005.

One strategy to fuel economic growth involves taking advantage of thegovernment-funded high-tech research in the region, Jurey said.The Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the University of Texas-Arlingtonare working together on technology transfer opportunities. They host theWorld's Best Technologies Showcase, which works with the national laboratoriesand other research organizations to present new technologies to potentialinvestors.

"Six years ago, we began down the path of helping UT-Arlington becomeone of the top-tier research institutes in the country," Jurey said.

Partnering with the private sector is a key component because it helps identifyopportunities for commercialization of technologies. Another component isbuilding an entrepreneurial culture.

"We see the government as a customer and as a source of venture capital,"Jurey said. The Homeland Security Department, for example, is funding developmentof promising technologies it may want to buy in the future.

"What's that if not venture capital?" Jurey asked.

About the Author

Nick Wakeman is the editor-in-chief of Washington Technology. Follow him on Twitter: @nick_wakeman.

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